And that won't do, you know." "George," said Madge, "you promise to be as great a rascal as your father." The old man had, as Madge prophesied, come home very drunk the night before, and had lain in bed later than usual, so that, when he came to breakfast, he found George, gun in hand, ready to go out.
"Going shooting, my lad ?" said the father.

"Where be going ?" "Down through the hollies for a woodcock.

I'll get one this morning, it's near full moon." All the morning they heard him firing in the bottom below the house, and at one o'clock he came home, empty-handed.
"Why, George!" said his father, "what hast thee been shooting at?
I thought 'ee was getting good sport." "I've been shooting at a mark," he replied.
"Who be going to shoot now, eh, George ?" asked the old man.
"No one as I know of," he replied.
"Going over to Eggesford, eh, Georgey?
This nice full moon is about the right thing for thee.

They Fellowes be good fellows to keep a fat haunch for their neighbours." George laughed, as he admitted the soft impeachment of deer-stealing, but soon after grew sullen, and all the afternoon sat over the fire brooding and drinking.

He went to bed early, and had just got off his boots, when the door opened, and Madge came in.
"What's up to now, old girl ?" said George.
"What are you going to be up to, eh ?" she asked, "with your gun ?" "Only going to get an outlying deer," said he.
"That's folly enough, but there's a worse folly than that.